STUDY QUESTIONS for Exam I*
1. How did geography influence the development of complex cultures, at least
in Eurasia-Africa? Explain the idea that geography constrained the development
of cultures and provide examples.
2. After defining and explaining the meaning of the term civilization, explain
how the achievement of a written language, towns, and a hierarchical social
structure, as well as technology and agriculture, made civilization possible.
3. Describe and characterize the ancient Greek natural philosophies of the monists
and pluralists. Identify some of the major philosophers and carefully explain why
these natural philosophies represented materialism.
4. Describe and characterize the theory of atomism, particularly as fully developed
in the teaching of Democritus of Abdera. Also identify the major natural philosophers
who promoted this theory and show how it was connected to monism and pluralism.
5. Who was Pythagoras of Samos, what was Pythagoreanism, and why was this school of
thought important to the Greeks and the whole nascent Western tradition.
6. In many ways, Hellenic Greece and its culture were products of the polis. Explain
how and why this statement is true (or false).
7. Characterize and strive to account for the philosophy of Plato of Athens (or
Aristotle of Stagira).
8. Compare and contrast the teachings of any combination of the following: Plato,
Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Democritus.
9. Describe the basic form or structure of government used by the Greeks during the
Hellenic period. Show not only how Athens and Sparta differed, but how they were
similar. (A brief comparison with the structure of government in Egypt and Mesopotamia
would be helpful.) Why and how did demagogues change Athens and militarists Sparta.
10. How did the Macedonian conquest and, then, the subsequent division of Alexander the
Great's empire alter the culture and values of the Greek world? Identify, describe, and
account for the new culture and values as seen in philosophy, natural philosophy, and
sculpture.
11. How and why was the Hellenistic age so important to the rise of science? Identify
and explain the great contributions of this age of natural philosophy.
12. Viewing the artistic documents provided, describe (or compare and contrast) the
Hellenic and/or Hellenistic style(s). Explain how political and social conditions at
the time the artists lived may account for this/these style(s).
13. Describe the origins, development, and nature of the Persian tradition (describe
the religious and political institutions).
14. Cyrus the Great and his dynasty established the first imperial monarchy. Describe
the structure of imperial monarchy and explain how it influenced and changed civilization.
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* On the exam, the instructor may select the case or cases (where more than one is
indicated) on which students must write. Questions ten through fourteen will only be
included on this exam if the class has gotten to those subjects by the time of the
exam. Otherwise, they will appear on the second exam.